Travel Bulletin Cruise Supplement 2015

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Your one-stop guideto all the latest news and developments

in Cruising

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All about Cruising

AS CRUISELINES continue to build,innovate and develop, the choice andrange of cruise holidays available is

expanding exponentially. There has neverbeen a better time to attract that ever-elusivemarket – the new-to-cruisers.

Smashing the myths that surround cruising– it’s only for ‘old’ people; you’re stuck on aship all day with nothing to do; you have toeat dinner at a fixed time – continues to be achallenge, but cruiselines are rising to it informidable ways.

Reaching a younger, more community-conscious market is Carnival, with its new Fathom brand, offering passengers theopportunity to spend their on-shore visits working on voluntourism projects.We are witnessing the birth of a new brand and a new travel experience – socialimpact travel. While this actual concept isn’t totally new -– other lines offersimilar initiatives, including You care. We care by Crystal Cruises – the Fathomidea is certainly ground-breaking, in that we are seeing the introduction of a newtype of cruise holiday experience with a dedicated ship.

Meanwhile, Richard Branson is promising to make waves with his newcompany, Virgin Cruises. All at once, cruising is seen as a sexy product, thanks toVirgin’s savvy branding and marketing strategy over the years. This opens up thecruise audience to the massive Virgin audience, many of whom, I think it’s safeto say, would not have previously considered cruising as a holiday option.

Destinations remain a driving force behind customers’ choice of holiday, so acruise which can take in as many as 11 or 12 different destinations in a two-weekholiday is ideal for those looking to explore the world and is another stronghook for new-to-cruisers. River cruises, for example, cover some of the world’smost iconic rivers in Europe, Africa, America and the Far East, providingpassengers weird and wonderful experiences in places that perhaps they wouldnot expect.

Luxury travel continues to flourish in all sectors, including cruise. We waitwith bated breath for the launch of Regent Seven Seas’ Seven Seas Explorer in2016, which will take the luxury cruising industry up a notch. Labelled the mostluxurious vessel in the world, it promises to evolve the style and quality ofcruise accommodation, with its private dining rooms, living rooms, privategardens, saunas and steam rooms, among its many other facilities and amenities.Further luxury ship launches include Seabourn’s Seabourn Encore next year andSilversea’s Silver Muse in spring 2017.

The ease of a cruise holiday is only amplified by UK departures and the rangeof ships and itineraries from ports such as Southampton, Dover and Liverpoolcontinues to grow.

The trade plays such a vital role in helping us disseminate these stories andmore to the travelling public: offering up the best ship with the mostappropriate onboard facilities and the all-important destinations is key insecuring a booking – particularly with a first-timer. So for help with racking upthose cruise sales and news about agent initiatives from the cruiselines, checkout the CLIA website.

Andy Harmer, director, CLIA UK & Ireland

Lower Ground Floor, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London SW1W 0EX

Tel: 020-7834 6661Publisher: Jeanette Ratcliffe

Written and researched by: Angela CroninEmail: [email protected]

Design/Layout: Lee TelotPrinted by: Buxton Press

Cover Picture: Shutterstock ISSN: 0956-2419

Published by

Solo cruising - 15

Luxury cruises - 11

River cruises - 7

New ships - 4

Ex-UK sailings - 18

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CONTENTS

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It looks like there will be no let-up in the growthof the cruise industry as six of the leading cruise-lines put in orders for new ships

All about Cruising

OCEANIA CRUISESOceania Cruises is adding to its fleet of five ships with the launch of Sirena in Aprilnext year.

Sirena will be joining sister ships Insignia,Regatta and Nautica, and two larger shipsMarina and Riviera next spring following anextensive refurbishment, which will see theintroduction of restaurants and cafes that canbe found on other ships in the Oceania fleet.

These include specialty dining restaurantsToscana and Polo Grill, Baristas and the cook-to-order grill Terrace Café.

Sirena’s maiden voyage will be a 14-nightcruise from Barcelona to Venice on 27 April2016. The inaugural season features a new line-up of 10 to 14-night voyages, featuring a mix ofclassic and new destinations throughout theMediterranean, including two voyagesventuring to Seville and Lisbon.

The ship will make 11 maiden calls forOceania Cruises, such as the beaches of Gaetain Italy, the rainforest of Golfito in Costa Ricaand the provincial township of La Paz in Mexico.oceaniacruises.com

QUARK EXPEDITIONSQuark Expeditions is introducing a third ship,Ocean Endeavour for its 2015/16 Antarcticseason.

The small luxury cruise ship will replace SeaSpirit and will be sailing 12 voyages toAntarctica, the Falkland Islands and SouthGeorgia from November.

Ocean Endeavour is engineered to explorethe polar regions, with an ice-strengthenedhull, Zodiacs for exploration and remotelandings, generous deck space and advancednavigation equipment.

Endeavour will be the only polar adventureship in Antarctica with a special focus onhealth and wellness, which will include yogaand stretching classes, massage therapysessions, a sauna and gym.quarkexpeditions.com

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONALRoyal Caribbean International has put in anorder with the Meyer Werft dockyard inGermany for a fourth Quantum-class ship fordelivery in 2019.

Royal Caribbean chairman and CEORichard Fain said; “We have received aremarkable response from travel agentpartners and travellers, and are thrilled thatwe’ll be able to deliver another revolutionaryship with our partners at Meyer Werft.”

Royal Caribbean International presidentand CEO Michael Bayley said: “The fourthQuantum class vessel will be a trailblazer insmart-ship design and holiday innovation.Royal Caribbean International is synonymouswith adventure, and the icons and amenitieson this ship will continue to challenge andexpand guests’ expectations of the cruiseexperience.”

Meanwhile, the cruise line will be takingdelivery of its third Quantum-class ship,Ovation of the Seas in April.

Before being deployed to Tianjin,China, Ovation of the Seas will embark on a52-night Global Odyssey from Southamptonto Tianjin.

Before Ovation embarks on its worldvoyage, it will sail three itineraries fromSouthampton.

These include: a five-night round tripcruise via France and Belgium, departing on

April 17; a seven-night round trip cruisecalling at Spain, the Channel Islands and Paris,departing on April 22; and a seven-nightEngland to Barcelona cruise, departing Mayon 3.

The cruiseline also has a fourth 5,400-passenger Oasis-class ship on order which isdue to embark on its inaugural voyage in themiddle of 2018.

STAR CLIPPERSThe tall ship sailing specialist Star Clippershas confirmed plans to build a fourth ship, its

NEW SHIPS

THE NEWCROWD

MSC Meraviglia's new ship launchesin 2017 and will be sailing westernMediterranean voyages


first new-build since the launch of RoyalClipper in July 2000.

The new 150-suite vessel, yet to be named,will be the biggest and most ambitious todate and will be launched in the second halfof 2017, carrying 300 passengers, measuring8,770 tons and powered by more than 6,350square metres of sails.

The new ship will be a five-masted,square-rigged barque and will be the largestship of its kind afloat. The new member ofthe fleet will be a near-replica of the FranceII, commissioned in 1911 and the largestsquare rigger ever built.

The new vessel will have three pools, onethat funnels sunlight through the ship’satrium into the dining room. There will be awatersports platform in the stern for usewhen the ship is at anchor and a variety ofcabin grades, including 34 suites withbalconies and four luxurious owner’s suites.

While the ship will have high-tech engines,it will, like its sister ships, rely on wind powerand its sails wherever possible.

The new ship will initially sail thecompany’s most popular itineraries in the

Mediterranean and the Caribbean.Star Clippers are expected to take

bookings for the new ship next year.starclippers.co.uk

MSC CRUISESThe Italian cruiseline has invested 5.1 billioneuros on four new ships across two differentclasses, with an option for three more.The Vista project vessels are being built bySTX France and will be MSC Cruises biggestships, carrying 4,500 passengers.

MSC Meraviglia went on general saleearlier this month and is due for delivery inMay 2017. The ship will be sailing westernMediterranean voyages, and will countGenoa, Barcelona and Marseille as its threehome ports.

Among the features planned for the ship isthe creation of special interlinked ‘clustercabins’, which will allow up to three cabins tobe opened up to accommodate larger familygroups.

There will be Family, Superfamiliy andSuperfamily Plus grades available with theSuperfamily Plus cabins accommodating up

to 10 passengers.Entertainment options will include a large

outdoor waterpark connected to a double-deck indoor amusement park; double-deckaft lounge and entertainment space; and atwo-deck interior promenade styled like aMediterranean village packed with shops,bars and speciality dining and covered by anawe-inspiring 480sq metre LED dome ceiling.The screen will form a ‘digital sky’ beamingout compelling images and visual shows atscheduled times.

The second Vista project ship is due fordelivery in the middle of 2019.

Meanwhile, the Seaside class ships arebeing built by Fincantieri shipyard in Italy andwill carry 4,140 passengers with the deliverydate set for November 2017.

MSC Cruises are hoping to break newground with this class of ship, which willfeature low-level promenades filled withshops, bars and al fresco dining options tomaximise the outdoor space for guests.

The Seaside ships will feature one of themost interactive aqua parks at sea, with fourslides and attractions for all ages.

Guests will be able to take part in slideboarding where they will get the chance torace down a two-storey, 112-metre slide on araft that includes an embedded gamecontroller with coloured buttons. The goal isto match the colour of the flashing strobelights seen on various sections of the slidewith the coloured buttons on the raft.

There will also be duelling high-speedaquatubes which will see guests racingagainst each other in single or double innertubes.

The water park will also have an AquaPlayand AquaSpray area for younger children.

An Adventure Trail ropes course will beconnected to the aqua park which guestswill have to navigate while being fired atfrom friends and family below with waterspray cannons.

The first Seaside ship will be based at anew MSC terminal in Miami and offerCaribbean itineraries year-round.

The second Seaside ship will arrive in themiddle of 2018 with the option for thedelivery of two more Vistas and anotherSeaside vessel in 2020, 2022 and 2021respectively.

SILVERSEASilversea Cruises will be taking delivery of anew flagship, the Silver Muse, in the springof 2017.

The new ultra-luxury ship is being built byFincantieri and will accommodate 596guests.

The addition of the Silver Muse willexpand Silversea's fleet to nine ships.

NEW SHIPS

5All about Cruising

Norwegian Cruise Line is launching its latest ship, Norwegian Escape onOctober 28. The ship will be Norwegian’s largest in the fleet carrying

4,200 passengers and sailing year-round from Miami.


Illuminating itineraries. Dazzling ships. Glowing reviews. Selling river cruises to the more discerning traveller has never been easier. Or as worthwhile. At Viking we give you more destinations, more award-winning ships and more dates to sell than any other river cruise operator. Call our friendly UK-based sales team seven days a week on 020 8780 7985.

Viking makes light work of selling the best river cruises

Eight-day European river cruises from £895pp. For details of all our award-winning journeys, visit www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk

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River cruising has seen phenomenalgrowth over the last few years andthis looks set to continue as the lines

look to reach out to a new market –families.

Over the next few pages, this feature willlook at the cruiselines that are makingchild’s play of getting the families on boardas well as finding out what else is new in theriver cruise market for 2016.

AMAWATERWAYSThe river cruiseline has set its sights on thefamily market with plans to build a newship, 159-passenger AmaViola, specifically

with families in mind.And its seems AmaWaterways has read

the market really well as US-basedAdventures by Disney has already charteredthe market for four cruises on the Danube inJuly and one in December, each offeringspecial, family-friendly excursions andactivities. And there’s no other companythat knows the family market as well asDisney.

Special family features on AmaViola willinclude specific room configurations, sixsets of interconnecting staterooms, as wellas rooms and suites that accommodatethree and four guests.

Shipboard spaces are being designed toprovide for activities geared towardsdifferent age groups. Adults will be able toenjoy wine tasting, music, dancing and anon-board fitness centre and spa, whilechildren can make the most of the pool,the giant chess set on the upper deck andthe in-cabin ‘Infotainment’ system. The shipwill also carry a fleet of bicycles for familiesto use.

Sister ship AmaStella will also belaunching next year, and will featureinterconnecting staterooms and largersuites. Sales manager Natalie O’Mahoneysays: “As the river cruise market grows and the

All about Cruising

GO WITH THE FLOW

With river cruising going from strength to strength, and the families market emerging as afirm favourite for the next growth area, now is the time to make sure you know all there

is to know about this expanding area of cruise

RIVER CRUISES

Viking’s eight-day Romantic Danube voyage is indemand with prices from £2,745 per person

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• Which? recommended provider for the last three years, beating all other river cruise lines

• More people would travel with us again than any of our competitors*

• The industry’s fi nest tour managers*

• Some of the largest cabins available on river cruise vessels

• One of Europe’s most modern fl eets - seven fi ve-star and two four-star superior vessels, four launched in the past two seasons

Europe’s Finest River Cruises

Experience truly unique cruises with perfectly balances itineraries, all escorted by an experienced cruise director and tour manager.

ABTA No. V4744

R I V E R C R U I S E S

Visit: www.rivieratravel.co.uk/agents Holidays organised by and subject to the booking conditions of Riviera Travel, ABTA V4744 and ATOL 3430 protected. Price based on two people sharing a twin cabin. *Source - Independent research in Autumn 2014 by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Single cabins and optional insurance available at a supplement. Images used in conjunction with Riviera Travel. Additionalentrance costs may apply. Cruise duration dependant on selected itinerary.

Reservations now open Saturdays 9am-2pm

Rhine, Danube, Moselle, Main, Elbe, Rhône, Seine or Douro

8 days from only £999 per person14 days from only £1,399 per person

Selected departures up to November 2015 and April to November 2016

To book, call: 01283 744370

ships on offer are more varied instyle and sophisticated, there isevery reason for families to tryriver cruising, especially given thecurrent trend towardsmultigenerational travel.”

Meanwhile, AmaWaterways isupping its presence in France withthe launch of 22 Taste ofBordeaux sailings next spring.AmaDolce will be sailing theGaronne and Dordogne Rivers inFrance’s most renowned wineregion. Eight of the 22 departureswill be special wine-themedvoyages.How much? A seven-night cruise

from Budapest to Nurembergcosts from £1,562 per persondeparting on 8 December 2016.The price includes full board withfree-flowing wine, beer and softdrinks with meals, excursions, wifi,use of bicycles in port and porttaxes. This price features an early-booking discount if confirmed by31st July 2015.

A seven-night Taste ofBordeaux cruise on AmaDolceround trip from Bordeaux costsfrom £1,559 per person, departingon 25 March 2016 and calling atCadillac, Pauillac, Blaye, Bourg,Libourne and Cubzac-Les-Ponts.

RIVER CRUISES

All about Cruising

AmaWaterways is targeting the family marketwith the 2016 launch of AmaViola


The price includes: full board on the ship; wine,beer and soft drinks with lunch and eveningmeals; complimentary daily excursions; freewi-fi; free use of on-board bicycles; on-boardentertainment.To book: amawaterways.co.uk

EUROPEAN WATERWAYSThe barging cruise specialist has also seen arise in families opting for river cruises, inparticular multigenerational holidays wheregrandparents take their children andgrandchildren along with them.

Marketing manager Chris Gant says that theoperator can see this trend continuing: “somany people lead busy lives and they love theidea of being able to have a private, relaxing

and off-the-beaten-track holiday with theirloved ones.

“That’s why we offer family-themed chartercruises that have activities for the children,but also allow the adults to relax. For example,a cruise on our hotel barge, Anjodi, on theCanal du Midi, will include visits to theunderground Limoussis Caves, Carcassone anda dinosaur park, and perhaps a wine tasting ortwo and the chance to soak in the on-deckspa pool with a glass of wine in hand for mumand dad.”

Prices for a full barge charter start at£15,000 for a hotel barge that canaccommodate six people with prices rising to£35,300 for a 12-passenger hotel barge.

European Waterways is poised to expand

with the launch of its luxury hotel bargeFinesse which will be taking to the water inMay next year.

The eight-passenger, 38-metre, double-decker vessel will feature a demonstrationgallery where guests can watch the on-boardchef preparing the daily gourmet meals.Finesse will cruise the River Saône and Canaldu Centre in Southern Burgundy. How much? Cabins start at £3,950 per person,all-inclusive, based on double occupancy, withprivate charters from £27,200. Each fully-crewed, six-night cruise includes all gourmetmeals prepared by the on-board chef, finewines, an open bar, daily escorted excursions,admissions and local transfers.To book: gobarging.com

RIVER CRUISES

9All about Cruising


TAUCK The river cruise specialist has launched its2016 European river cruising brochure withnew ships, itineraries and flight-inclusivepackages.

Tauck’s two new river cruise ships, Graceand Joy, will launch next year and will carry130 passengers in 22 luxury suites – thefewest number on that size of boat onEuropean river excursions.

The new voyage for next year is along theRhine, taking in Europe’s highest railwaystation in the Bernese Alps, and privatetours, dinner and music at SchlossEhreshoven, a moated German castlenormally closed to the public, and SchlossJohannisberg, a former Benedictinemonastery with a 1,200-year history ofwine-making and home to the first Rieslingwine estate.

As well as the new, cruise, Tauck’s otherEuropean river voyages include severalunique excursions along the Danube, Rhoneand Seine. Also new for 2016, Tauck isincluding air travel in the price. Vice-president Steve Spivak said: “From themoment you take off until you touch downon your return journey, everything iscovered in the price including champagneand single malt whisky.”How much? Prices lead in at £2,995for the 10-day Rhine, Swiss Alps andAmsterdam trip.To book: tauck.co.uk

UNIWORLDThe boutique river cruise operator haslaunched a stand-alone Asia 2016 programmefeaturing India on board a new luxury all-suiteship for the first time.

The new all-suite 56-passenger GangesVoyager ll will feature in the 13-day India’sGolden Triangle and Sacred Ganges cruisewith seven nights on-board the ship sailing theGanges River and five nights on shore at threeOberoi Hotels and Resorts’ properties in NewDelhi, Agra and Jaipur.

“We are excited about our product offeringin Asia, especially with our newest destination,India, and the new all-suite Ganges Voyager IIfeatured in the brochure for the first time,”

said Kathryn Beadle, managing director ofUniworld UK. “River cruising is such anamazing way to experience the fascinatingdestinations of India, China, and Vietnam andCambodia, as there is so much life and activityto see along the banks of the Ganges, Yangtzeand Mekong rivers, giving guests a true sense of their locality. And with Uniworld theycan be sure of experiencing these destinationsand rivers in ultimate luxury.”How much? Prices start at £5,169 per personfor the 13-day India’s Golden Triangle andSacred Ganges cruise. Savings of up to £800are available on bookings made by 31 July, 2015.To book: uniworld.com

‘There is every reason for families totry river cruising, especially given the

current trend towards multigenerational travel’

RIVER CRUISES

10All about Cruising

RIVIERA TRAVEL says its eight-daycruise along the River Douro isproving particularly popular.It was the first time the operator hasoffered that itinerary, and it proved so

popular, Riviera is featuring it for thefull 2016 season. The voyage calls in atDouro, Oporto and Salamanca.Sample price: from £1,199 per personwith post-cruise extensions in Lisbon

available on selected dates in 2016from £399 per person for three nightsin a five-star hotel, transfers, guidedexcursions and a tour manager.To book: rivieratravel.co.uk

BEST SELLERS

VIKING RIVER CRUISES’ 15-dayMagnificent Mekong river cruise is a bighit with its customer base.

The 15-day voyage on board VikingMekong starts off in Ho Chi Minh City andthen heads along the Mekong to Sa Dec,the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, theprotagonist in Marguerite Duras’s belovedautobiographic novel, l’Amant (The Lover).

Next stop is Tân Châu for a visit to afloating fish farm and a boat ride to Vinh,

Hoa, known as Evergreen Island.The cruise then crosses into

Cambodia for a two-day visit to thecapital Phnom Penh.

The voyage spends the next five days inCambodia, visiting Kampong Cham, SiemReap and Angor Wat before sailing on toHanoi for a three-day visit and theconclusion of the cruise.Sample price: from £4,499 full boardincluding all meals and drinks (wine,

beer and soft drinks only) 14 guidedtours and flights.

In Europe, Viking’s eight-day RomanticDanube voyage is in demand. The cruiseexplores the grand cities and quaintvillages along the Danube River.Sample price: from £2,745 per personfull board including all meals and drinks(wine, beer and soft drinks only), sixguided tours and flights.vikingrivercruises.co.uk


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Luxury, ultra-luxury, six-star cruiselines –what does it all mean and are people’sexpectations of luxury changing with

new trends emerging?According to Richard Twynam, managing

director of Azamara Club Cruises, UK andIreland, the biggest change in the luxurymarket in recent years is how people choosetheir luxury holiday.

“The two most important trends are thatpeople instantly search online content, andthen look for recommendations by word ofmouth to endorse their own thinking.

“So snackable relevant, targeted content isthe new battleground among suppliers.Mobile is increasing all the time in itsimportance as well.”

So while your potential customers aresourcing information online about what it isavailable, they still need the experience of anagent who knows first hand due to the trade’sstrong ties with the cruiselines the variety ofluxury that’s on offer. And the value thatagents add when it comes to matching clientswith the right cruise can never beunderestimated. With this in mind, here is abrief round-up of what luxury means in theworld of cruise for 2016.

SILVERSEABased in Monaco, Silversea has five small,traditional cruise ships, with a new one on

order to be delivered by 2017, and threeexpedition ships.

Silversea appeals to the type of customerswho want luxury, but want it in a laid-backfashion, meaning that they can rock up todinner in a jacket but no tie; casual, informaldining is all the rage with Silversea.

What makes the cruiseline an upmarketone is the fact that 85% of suites on its classicfleet of ships have a private veranda and allsuites on-board the expedition fleet haveocean views.

Guests are greeted with champagne onarrival and a butler, who is available on allships for all suites, will unpack luggage andhelp guests settle in to their suite.

The same butler will be available

throughout the voyage to make dinnerreservations, arrange private fitness sessions,polish and condition shoes, replenish thesuite bar, turn down bed covers nightly andpack luggage at the end of the voyage.

And they can also arrange 24-hour in-suitedining, with a full breakfast or formal dinnerdelivered straight to suite.

The inclusive tag with Silversea means theprice can also include champagne and a barfridge in suites that is stocked to individualpreferences including wines and spirits.

Gratuities are always included in the cruisefare except those for the spa and shoreexcursions.

And new for this year, a choice of SilverShore Select excursions are also included in

All about Cruising

From exclusive destinationexperiences to fully-inclusive wifi packages,the luxury lines arelooking at new ways tospice up their high-endvoyages

LUXURY

SUITETIMES AHEAD

It’s all about attention todetail on Crystal Cruises

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the inclusive fare along with at least onehour of free wifi per day for all guests onvoyages departing from January 2016. There isunlimited free wifi for guests sailing in theOwner's, Grand, Royal, Silver and Medallionsuites on the line's ocean ships.Sample price: from £4,650 per person for the12-day voyage from Tower Bridge, London toStockholm on board Silver Wind. The cruisedeparts on 27 June 2016 and calls in atAmsterdam, Netherlands; Kiel Canal,Germany; Wismar, Germany; Ronne,Bornholm, Denmark; Gdansk, Poland; Visby,Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; St Petersburg,Russian and Tallinn, Estonia.To book: silversea.com

AZAMARA CLUB CRUISESThe luxury offering from the Royal Caribbeanstable, Azamara has two “boutique” ships,Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, thatcarry a maximum of just 694 guests.

The cruiseline prides itself on the smallstature of its ships which means that theycan dock at smaller ports that the biggerships cannot access, which allows them to

base their voyages around the globalcalendar of events and celebrations, forexample, visiting Monaco for the Grand Prix.

And unlike other cruiselines, theyovernight in ports, which has led Azamara tocreate a new innovation called DestinationImmersion and under this brand umbrella isAzamazing Evenings, which feature authenticfree events that give cruisers an insight intolocal life in their destinations.

There’s also Land Discoveries, which are arange of exclusive excursions that aim to getunder the skin of a destination.

New additions to this concept includeInsider Access which take cruisers behind thescenes at ancestral homes, workshops orplaces of business for locals such as farmsand shops.

Nights and Cool Places is also new andallows guests the chance to discover adestination after dark, such as visitingMalaga’s Picasso Museum after hours orenjoying an evening gondola serenade inVenice. Azamara has also recently launchedCruise Global, Eat Local which aims to guideguests away from the tourist traps and

overcrowded ‘hotspots’ and to the authenticrestaurants where locals dine.

The line’s two ships are set to enterdrydock early next year for some renovation.The ships will be fitted with new venues,public spaces and technology to bring re-designed spaces and fresh services to guests.The transformation will cover all stateroomsand suites, dining, spa and entertainment. Sample price: the 12-night European JewelsVoyage that departs on 30 May 2016 costsfrom £4,906 per person including flights. Thecruise visits Nice, Barcelona, Gibraltar, Seville,Lisbon, Honfleur and Guernsey.To book: azamaraclubcruises.com

CRYSTAL CRUISESCrystal likes to distinguish its luxury offeringfrom other cruiselines in this space by talkingabout the ‘Crystal Experience’ and the‘Crystal Difference’ which the cruiselineclaims has enabled them to set one simplegoal – to provide its guests with the finesttravel experience available in the luxuryservice business, not just the luxury cruiseindustry.

Well, if the figures are correct thenCrystal’s attention to detail and personalisedservice has helped it to achieve the objectiveof having the highest number of repeatguests in the industry.

Crystal has two ships, Crystal Serenity andthe Crystal Symphony.

The majority of the staterooms of bothships have verandahs, and the service torooms includes with 24-hour in-stateroomdining, with wine, champagne, or cocktails,and a Pillow Menu to give guests theopportunity to choose the perfect pillow fora great night’s slumber.

The cruiseline’s penthouse stateroomsreally are the icing on the cake though withfull sofas, walk-in closets, separate showers,Jacuzzi tubs with breathtaking views, top-of-the-range sound-systems, separate livingrooms, dining areas, and guest bathrooms.

As well as the stunning dining rooms forcasual and formal dining, there’s the VintageRoom experience, Silk Road and The SushiBar with Nobu Matsuhisa’s signature cuisine,and Prego, featuring fine Italian cuisine.

LUXURY


Azamara has rolled out a new range of Destination Immersion experiences

‘mobile isincreasing all the

time in itsimportance’


As regards experiences, Crystal offersdiverse options varying from moreadventurous, such as flying in a MiG fighterjet in Russia, hot-air ballooning in Italy, a jetboat ride on a wild New Zealand river andcage-diving with sharks in Cape Town torelaxing painting lessons and wine tastings inEurope, discovering the culinary secrets ofGreek and Mediterranean cuisine at privatecooking demonstrations and enjoying anexclusive evening of classical music and art atthe St Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum.

And the luxury future looks very bright forCrystal following its acquisition by GentingHong Kong, which has pledged to broadenthe line’s offerings to welcome more intrepidluxury travellers with new ships and newitineraries. So watch this space.Sample price: from £2,171 per person for aseven-night cruise on Crystal Symphonyfrom Venice to Athens departing on 17 April2016.To book: crystalcruises.co.uk

SEADREAM YACHT CLUBLess ship, more mega yacht, Seadream’sluxury offering is for the more adventurouscruiser who likes the idea of a smaller vesselrocking up at an intimate port where hewon’t be vying for docking space with a5,000-passenger ship.

Seadream has two yachts which both carry112 guests and 95 crew, which ensures thecrew to guest ratio is high.

Highly trained chefs prepare meals usingingredients sourced from local ports of call,creating menus that change daily alongsidean award-winning wine list.

SeaDream also offers a variety of diningexperiences from a traditional Japanese menuto an optional Raw Food menu.

The SeaDream Spa is the only Thai-certified spa at sea offering 40 differenttherapies and treatments, many of which maybe enjoyed outdoors, on deck in the private,open-air massage area.

The yachts also carry with them a numberof water toys in what they call a retractablewater sports Marina so guests can play withthe glass bottom kayaks, try a stand-uppaddle board, go water skiing, ride thebanana boat, go tubing or boarding, gosnorkelling and try sailing on a Laser sailboat.Sample price: a seven-night Caribbean voyagecosts from £2,085 per person and sets sail on5 December 2015 and visits: St Thomas in theUS Virgin Islands; Saba, Netherlands Antilles;Gustavia, St Barts and Marigot, Saint Martin;Soper’s Hole, Tortola, Great Harbour; PeterIsland and White Bay, Jost van Dyke, BritishVirgin Islands.; and Charlestown, Nevis.To book: seadream.com

LUXURY ON A BIG SHIP

LUXURY


SOME OF the big cruiselines want to get apiece of the luxury pie with adifferentiated approach by creating luxuryenclaves on board their ships.

MSC Cruises pioneered this concept inwhen it introduced the MSC Yacht Clubexperience which is now available on itsfour largest vessels, MSC Divina, MSCFantasia, MSC Splendida and MSC Prezios.

This private haven has 76 superior suitesof different sizes, private lounges,exclusive à la carte Yacht Club restaurantand private sun deck with pool and buffetarea. There’s a butler on call 24 hours a dayand a dedicated concierge to tend toguests every need.

MSC Cruises’ executive director UK andIreland Giles Hawke said: “The thing thatreally attracts people to Yacht Club is thatit gives them all the benefits of a ‘big ship’experience – the great theatre shows, barsand entertainment options – but also theopportunity to retreat to their own area ifthey wish. We describe it as a ‘ship-within-a-ship’, and guests’ can participate with lifeon board as much or as little as they want.

“There are many positives for agentstoo. MSC Yacht Club is an incredibly wellpriced product for the luxury it offers. Thebutler service and attention to detailwithin Yacht Club mean it is a truly five-star experience. It is fantastic value andhas an incredibly loyal customer base.Guests who try it once keep coming back.

“Areas such as this are great for multi-generational groups. We find thatgrandparents will opt for the Yacht Clubbecause they can spend time with theirfamilies during the day but have that littlebit of luxury when they want time on theirown.

”Such is the success of MSC Yacht Clubthat it is expanding the luxury areas on itsnew-build ships. Both MSC Meraviglia andMSC Seaside will have enhanced – andentirely self-contained – Yacht Club areasat the front of the ships”. Sample price: seven-night fly-cruise fromGenoa (Portofino), Italy aboard MSCFantasia, departing May 8 2016, calls atCannes, France; Palma, Majorca; Barcelona,Spain; Ajaccio, Corsica; Naples, Italy; laSpezia, Italy and Genoa (Portofino). MSCYacht Club price starts at £1,549 perperson, including British Airways returnflights to Genoa and overseas transfers.To book: msccruises.co.uk

Silversea has built its reputation onoffering laidback luxury


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Norwegian Cruise Line’s decision tointroduce Studio cabins for solotravellers on Norwegian Epic back in

2010 was seen as a bold move by many in thecruise industry.

Cruising has always been seen as theperfect holiday for people travelling alone asit is such a sociable experience, so it alwaysseemed a little strange that the cruiselinesdon’t do more to court single travellers.

However, fast forward five years and it’sclear to see that other cruiselines arefollowing NCL’s example.

P&O Cruises has a total of 74 single cabinsacross its fleet of ship with 15 singles with abalcony and 12 single inside cabins on itsnewest ship Britannia.

Royal Caribbean’s flexible accommodationstructure on Quantum and Anthem of theSeas means that its new category of family-

connecting rooms can be adapted to singlecabins if needed.

But what are the other cruiselines whohaven’t been able to roll out dedicated singleaccommodation doing for single travellers.Are they still making them pay the price foropting to travel alone?

CMVSolo cabins: CMV has set aside 150 superiortwin cabins aside for single cabins on boardthe 1,250-passenger vessel Magellan.Any supplement? On these 150 twin cabins,there will be a 25% supplement for singleoccupancy.Sample package: prices start at £1,049 perperson for single occupancy on a categorythree superior twin inner cabin. A category 9superior ocean view starts at £1,399 perperson. These prices are for the nine-night

British Isles Discovery cruise from LondonTilbury.To book: cruiseandmaritime.com

HOLLAND AMERICA LINESolo cabins: HAL launches its new shipKoningsdam next April, which will have 12single ocean-view cabins, ranging from 127 to172sq ft in size and will be available onmultiple decks at a variety of forward, mid-ship and aft locations.

Executive vice-president, sales, marketingand guest programmes Richard Meadows said:“These new one-person staterooms enable usto serve the growing market of solotravellers.”

The cruiseline has also developed aprogramme of activities for solo travellers.Koningsdam will have a brand new CulinaryArts Centre, which will feature a show kitchen

All about Cruising

With the number of people choosing to travel on theirown, what are the cruiselines doing to appeal to thisgrowing market?

SOLO CRUISING

NCL pioneered cabins for solotravellers with the launch ofthe Studio cabin back in 2010

SOLO TOUR

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S05 TB Cruise Supplement - Solo Cruising_Layout 1 21/07/2015 15:34

Ways to book:

POLAR online – register on [email protected] Reservations by phone – 0844 338 8600

Online training – www.halacademy.co.uk Visit www.hollandamerica.co.uk

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with individual cooking stations that will beused for cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes from visiting celebrity chefs andthe ship’s own experts.

In the evening, the centre will transforminto a new dining concept called Dinner, afarm-to-table style experience where thechefs prepare simple, artisanal dishes in theshow kitchen and guests enjoy each course asit’s freshly prepared.Sample package: prices lead in at £1,689 perperson for a single room on a seven-nightViking Sagas sailing departing fromAmsterdam on 22 May.To book: hollandamerica.com

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINESolo cabins: NCL has been somewhat of apioneer of the solo cabins. Back in 2010, thecruiseline introduced 128 Studio cabins on itsnew ship Norwegian Epic, specificallydesigned for solo travellers.

The line has now rolled out the Studiocabins on to Norwegian Breakaway andNorwegian Getaway, which have 59 each,while new ship Norwegian Escape, whichlaunches in October will have 82.

The cabins have 100sq ft of living spacewith a full-size bed and separate areas for thebathroom, sink and shower. They all feature alarge, round window that looks out into thecorridor with privacy closure.

All of the Studio rooms are located in aprivate keycard-access complex with theirown Studio Lounge and bar so that Sologuests can meet and interact with otherswho are cruising alone.

Also, some of the Studio staterooms areconnecting, which allows groups of friendstravelling together to create their ownprivate space.Sample package: a Studio cabin onNorwegian Escape’s nine-night EasternCaribbean fly-cruise from Miami starts at£1,777 per person departing from Heathrowon 6 May 2016. The cruise visits the US VirginIslands, the British Virgin Islands and theBahamas. To book: ncl.com

CRYSTAL CRUISESSolo cabins: the ultra luxury cruiselinedoesn’t have any dedicated single occupancycabins, but it ensures that the atmosphere onboard the ship is as inviting as possible forsolo travellers.

There is assigned seating in the CrystalDining Room, while a singles get-togetherand a Table for Eight programme joins singlecruisers together for dinner in specialtyrestaurants such as Nobu Matsuhisa’s SilkRoad and the Sushi Bar.

Crystal Cruises also has ambassador hosts

on all cruises to serve as professional dancepartners for its solo female travellers andfemale guests whose partners are notcomfortable dancing.

Hosts also dine, participate in shoreexcursions and socialise with guests, servingas liaisons between singles and the onboardsocial community. There are usually fourhosts per cruise with eight on World Cruisesand as many as 12 on select trans-oceansailings.

And for the first time last year, twowomen ambassador hosts joined theBallroom at Sea themed cruises.Single supplement? It starts at 10%Sample package: fly-cruise prices start at£2,368 for a solo traveller on a seven-nightcruise from Venice to Athens departing on 17April 2016. This includes the 10% singlesupplement.To book: crystalcruises.com

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERYSolo cabins: the number of single occupancycabins with no supplement vary dependingon the cruise.

The cruiseline pulls out all the stops toensure that solo travellers get the most outof their voyage.

There are a number of on-board activitiesand shore excursions that bring singlestogether on board Voyager.

As early as possible during the cruise,single travellers are invited to a lunch, and forthe remainder of the cruise, the maitre'd willendeavour to seat single travellers together.

The cruiseline has also introduced a noticeboard where customers can leave each othermessages if they want to take part inactivities with someone else.Single supplement? The number of cabins with no supplement vary dependingon the cruise.Sample package: prices for the 14-dayMediterranean Reflections cruise thatdeparts on 23 September this year start at£999 for an inside cabin.To book: voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk

FRED.OLSENSolo cabins: the relatively small size of FredOlsen’s ships make them particluarly popularwith single travellers. The cruiseline has 190single cabins across its fleet of four ships,including 40 on Braemar, 43 each on BlackWatch and Boudicca and 64 on Balmoral.

The cruiseline hosts exclusive get-togethers for solo travellers where theyhave the opportunity to get to know eachother.

Staff on board will seat single travellerstogether for dinner, and arrange companions

for solo cruisers when going ashore, ifrequired. There are also gentleman hosts anddance couples on board the ships to providedancing partners for solo guests. Single supplement? While Fred Olsen has anumber of single cabins for 2016, Fred.Olsenhas introduced twin-for-sole occupancydiscounts, which mean that a solo guest,occupying a twin cabin, will pay either nosingle-supplement or receive up to 75% offthe supplement cost, depending on theselected cruise. Sample package: prices start at £349 perperson for a four-night Belgium andAmsterdam cruise from London Tilbury.There is no single supplement for an outsidetwin cabin, E, D and B Grades only. Thecruise on board Boudicca departs on 17December 2015.To book: fredolsencruises.com

HURTIGRUTENSolo cabins: 37 across the coastal voyagefleet, 27 of which are on the Lofoten.

Single supplement? the Norwegiancruiseline is offering no single supplementson 80 different departures until the end ofthis year.Sample package: prices start at £899 perperson on a full board basis on an insidecabin on the seven-day Classic Voyage Northfrom Bergen to Kirkenes cruise only. Flightand transfer packages cost from anadditional £395 per person.

This cruise visits 34 ports along theNorwegian coast before crossing into theArtic Circle for a trip to the North Cape, thelast stop before the North Pole.

Although T&Cs apply, single travellersbooking a 12-day voyage from October toDecember will also be eligible for theNorthern Lights Promise, which means if thisspectacular light show doesn’t make anappearance, cruisers will get another six orseven-day voyage for free next year.To book: hurtigruten.co.uk

QUARK EXPEDITIONSSolo cabins: no single cabins specificallydesigned for solo travellers. A Total of 25cabins on board Ocean Endeavour will bepriced for single occupancy and will have nosingle supplement. Single supplement: However, with thegrowing demand of solo travelers, 25 cabinson board Ocean Endeavour will be priced forsingle occupancy and will have no singlesupplement. Sample package: Prices lead in at £6,700 fora solo traveller on the 11-day AntarcticExplorer voyage. Departures are on 6 and 16November 2016.To book: quarkexpeditions.com

SOLO CRUISING



Setting sail out of UK port has neverbeen so popular so it seems.Southampton retained its position as

Europe’s largest embarkation anddisembarkation port last year, with a total of1.57 million passengers passing through theport in 2014.

During the year, there were 422 cruise shipturnarounds at Southampton, each of whichis estimated to contribute £2 million to thelocal economy according to researchundertaken by the port.

But Southampton is not the only port tobe optimistic about the growing popularityof cruising out to the UK.

London Cruise Terminal, Port of Tilbury,has also seen a large increase in cruise traffic.Passenger traffic last year totalled 54,000 andthe port is forecasting that this will almostdouble to 100,000 passengers this year, withfurther growth also expected in 2016.

Other ports predicting an increase incruise traffic include Liverpool, which in Mayhosted Cunard’s Three Queens – the QueenElizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2

– and forecasts cruise passenger growth of12% to 83,000 this year.

Bristol’s renaissance as a port continuesthis year, having restarted cruise ship sailingsin 2013 for the first time in 20 years, withpassenger traffic forecast to grow 11.5% in2015 to 20,000.

Cruise traffic to islands around the UKmainland is forecast to grow strongly toowith cruise traffic through Guernsey portpredicted to jump 20% to 130,000 andthrough Orkney by 17% to 79,000 passengers.

CLIA UK and Ireland director Andy Harmerapplauds these figures, saying: “Across theUK, ports and the cruiselines that serve themare playing an ever-increasing role inboosting the economies that surround them.”

Angie Redhead, new chair of CruiseBritain,said while UK ports welcome some of theworld’s biggest ships, any of Britain's ports areideally placed to attract smaller vesselslooking for something off the beaten track.

So with this in mind, here is a round-up ofthe cruiselines who have big plans for ex-UKsailings in 2016.

FRED.OLSEN CRUISE LINESUK port: NewcastleThe cruises: the 14-night Wonders ofSpitsbergen and 11-night Icelandic Wildlife,Falls and Hot Springs voyagesThe details: Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines will bebasing its 1,350-guest flagship, Balmoral, inNewcastle for the first time ever, from May toAugust 2016. The cruiseline has been operatingcruises from Newcastle since 2006, and hasseen the popularity of its Norwegian fjordscruises rocket.

With this decision to base Balmoral in theport for four months, managing director MikeRodwell said it means that Fred.Olsen isincreasing its capacity by 45% and “offeringour guests in the northeast an even greaternumber of cruise departures than ever before,with a choice of 11 in total.

“Bookings for 2016 have shown that, so far,our 14-night Wonders of Spitsbergen and 11-night ‘Icelandic Wildlife, Falls and Hot Springs’cruises are best sellers.

“The Port of Tyne is also ideally placed forour ever-popular Norway, Scandinavian and

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HOME STRAIGHTThe appeal of sailing out of the UK shows no signs ofabating as cruiselines add more ex-UK sailings for 2016

All about Cruising

EX UK

S06 TB Cruise Supplement - Ex UK_Layout 1 21/07/2015 15:29

Baltic itineraries, and we can save up to threedays’ cruising time sailing from Newcastle toNorway than from Southern ports.”

Balmoral’s 2016 cruise season fromNewcastle will commence on 21 May 2016,with a five-night Norwegian Festival andFjords cruise.

Other departures include a 10-night UKCastles sailing, which offers guests the chanceto visit Balmoral and Braemar Castles and an11-night Spain, Portugal & Guernsey getaway.

The Port of Tyne’s International PassengerTerminal welcomes around 620,000passengers each year. Passenger shippinggenerates around £60 million for the northeasteconomy each year, supporting over 2,000tourism-related jobs.

Other UK ports Fred.Olsen sails out ofinclude Dover, Harwich, Forth, Liverpool,London Tilbury, Newcastle, Rosyth, Bristol andClyde.

The cruiseline’s Black Watch and Boudiccawill be embarking on two epic Grand Voyagesin January 2017 from Southampton visiting atotal of 67 ports in 38 countries between

them.Black Watch will be setting sail on 3 January

taking in the exotic destinations of Hanga Roa(Easter Island), Bora Bora, in French Polynesia,and three stops in New Zealand – Auckland ,Tauranga and Wellington – on a 107-night‘Around the World’ cruise.

Boudicca will be departing on 8 January ona 77-night South American Discovery, whichincludes stops in Brazil ’s Rio de Janeiro andBuenos Aires , in Argentina, as well a cruise ofthe Chilean fjords and a maiden call at LagunaSan Rafael.How much? Prices start at £599 per person forthe five-night Norwegian Festival and Fjordscruise, which departs from Newcastle on 26May 2016 and calls in at Lysefjord (Pulpit Rock& Kjerag Boulder), Bergen, Eidfjord,Hardangerfjord, Fureberg Waterfall,Maurangerfjord, Hidrasund, Strandsfjord,Flekkefjord and Stolsfjord. The price includesaccommodation in an inside twin-beddedcabin, food and entertainment on board, andport taxes.To book: fredolsencruises.com

Disney Magic will be sailingthe Norwegian fjords for the

first time next year

EX UK


MSC CRUISES The Italian cruiseline is keen to keep astrong relationship with the trade and hasrecently joined TIPTO so will be takingpart in its roadshows all over the UK.

MSC Splendida is visiting Southamptonin September and the cruiseline has anumber of agent visits planned. Thecruiseline has already hosted 800 agentson ship visits this year in Glasgow, Dublinand Southampton with the same numberplanned for next year.

Also, a big event for the cruiseline nextyear is the Advantage conference takingplace on MSC Fantasia in theMediterranean next April, which is thefirst time this event has ever been hostedon a ship.Agents interested in ship visits shouldemail [email protected]

CRUISE AND MARITIME VOYAGESAgents keen to get the CMV experiencehave the opportunity to visit thecruiseline’s ships while they are in portthis year.

There are still places available for visitsto Magellan and Azores in July, Septemberand October this year at London Tilbury,Liverpool and Bristol.

The line’s buy one get one freecampaign has helped agents to secureearly bookings, according to head of tradesales at CMV Lisa Jacobs. “This has helpedthe trade get more bookings up front and93% of this year’s programme is now sold.”Agents interested in ship visits, shouldemail [email protected]

AZAMARAThe luxury cruiseline has teamed up withsister line Royal Caribbean Internationalto launch loyalty scheme, Club Royal.

For every Azamara booking made,(including netts) agents receive a £10credit loaded onto a prepaid Mastercardfor immediate use on almost anything.

Agents sign up for the programmeat MyClubRoyal.co.uk where they need tobe a Royal Caribbean ‘Captain’ on theaward-winning e-learning programme,Cruising for Excellence.

Once registered, agents will receivetheir Mastercard within 28 days ofregistration.

FOR AGENTS

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PORTSMOUTH INTERNATIONAL PORTPIP has introduced free high-speedinternet access at its passenger terminal.

The port is also setting its sights onencouraging cruisers leaving or arrivingfrom the city to extend their stay byvisiting some of the city’s mainattractions, which include Mary Rose,Victory and Warrior in the HistoricDockyard, and newest attraction the BenAinslie Racing Visitors Centre.

PORT OF TYNENamed as the UK’s Port of the Year at the2014 National Transport Awards, the Portof Tyne welcomed 600,000 passengerslast year.

This year, Oceania Cruises have sailedout of the port for the first time, RegentSeven Seas visited with the Seven SeasVoyager luxury cruise on one transit callthe inaugural call of Crystal Symphonyand Holland America Line operated a

transit call with Eurodam. The Port of Tyne is capitalising on its

growing popularity as a port of call on thecruiseline itineraries with the launch of anew cruise brochure and itinerary pack for2015, which includes information on thenetwork of tourism businesses that havedeveloped special tours of the region.

PORT OF DOVERThe port has recently completed a £10million restoration project on the glassroof of Cruise Terminal 1.

Originally built in 1914 as Dover MarineRailway Station, the renovation hasretained the old station while addingmodern facilities to the departure lounge.

The iconic sculpture of the Dove ofPeace by artist Antony Heywood wasunveiled at Cruise Terminal 1 at the end oflast year as part of the Port of Dover’scommitment to commemorating bothWorld War I and II.

TORQUAYThe Devon port , which can accommodatetwo cruise ship tenders at a time in itsnewly installed pontoon on Beacon Quay,is in the process of improving its roadtransport links with the installation of thenew South Devon Link road, due to openat the end of this year.The new connections will make the portmore accessible.

PORT PARKINGHoliday Extras offers parking tailored tocruise customers at both Southamptonand Dover ports.

At Southampton there’s a choicebetween Meet and Greet, with pricesfrom £73.99 for a week, and Park and Rideoptions from £47.00.

At Dover Port, Park and Ride parkingstarts at £40 for a week, rising to £71.20 topark right next to the Cruise Terminal.holidayextras.com/port-parking

PORT UPDATE

EX UK


ROYAL CARIBBEANUK port: SouthamptonThe cruises: Independence of the Seas will bedoing a selection of sailings from Southamptonto Europe and the Mediterranean next year,which will include three and four-night minibreaks to Paris and Bruges, seven-night cruiseitineraries to France and Spain, and a number of14 night breaks from Southampton to theMediterranean.

Navigator of the Seas will offer a wide rangeof new sailings from Southampton, including sixto 14-night Norwegian Fjords, Baltic,Mediterranean and Canary Island itineraries.The details: the seven France and Spain cruisesset sail from Southampton and heads to Gijon,Bilbao, Cherbourg and Le Havre for Paris beforereturning to Southampton.

The 14-night Central Med round-trip cruisefrom Southampton calls in at Barcelona,Villefrance, Civitavecchia for Rome, Valencia,Malaga and Cadiz, while the 14-night ItalianMed round-trip from Southampton visitsGibraltar, Villefranche, Rome, Florence/Pisa,Provence, Malaga and Lisbon.

Gibraltar, Villefrance, Ajaccio, Corsica,Cagliari, Majorca and Cadiz feature in the 14-night Med Beaches round trip, while the14-night Med Cities cruise visits Malaga, Cannes,Barcelona, Majorca, Valencia, Cartagena, Lisbonand Vigo.

Finally, the 13-night Western Mediterraneanvoyage visits Gibraltar, Cartagena, Majorca,Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, Cadiz and

Portugal Returning to the UK after a £50million makeover, Navigator of the Seas willoffer a wide range of new sailings fromSouthampton, including six- to 14-nightNorwegian Fjords, Baltic, Mediterranean andCanary Island itineraries.

Its eight-night Spain, France and Portugalsailings from Southampton call in at Le Havrefor Paris, Gijon and Lisbon, its eight-nightNorway cruise visits Flam, Skjolden, Olden,Alesund and Stavanger, while its eight-nightCanaries voyage stops in at Funchal (Madeira),Tenerife, Las Palmas, Gran Canria, Lanzarote andVigo.How much? A seven-night France and Spaincruise leads in at £700 per person based on twoguests sharing.To book: royalcaribbean.co.uk

AZAMARA CLUB CRUISESPort: SouthamptonThe cruise: the 12-night London to BalticsVoyage.The details: Azamara has teamed up with golftravel experts PerryGolf to create the perfectvoyage for golf fanatics on board AzamaraQuest.

Setting sail from Southampton on 11 June2016, the voyage will give guests the chance toexplore Amsterdam’s medieval town, take inCopenhagen’s colourful waterfront, visitHelsinki’s Sibelius monument and rock church,experience the magnificence of St Petersburg’sHermitage Museum and Catherine Palace, get

lost in the cobbled streets of Tallinn crowdedwith crafts shops, cafes and beer bars, followedby scenic cruising in the StockholmArchipelago, where the cruise ends

During the voyage, keen golfers will get thechance to play a round at Ian Woosnam’s newclub The International, The Scandinavian byRobert Trent Jones II and the Bro Hoff SlottStadium Course in Sweden. PerryGolf’s cruisestaff will join the cruise to oversee all aspectsof the golf programme from daily pairings tothe handling of clubs.How much? Prices lead in at £3,357 per personand include flights from Stockholm toHeathrow.To book: azamaraclubcruises.co.uk

MSC CRUISESPort: SouthamptonThe cruise: MSC Cruises is making a limitedreturn to the UK next year whenFantasia-class ship MSC Splendida will offer sixex-UK sailings for the first time.The details: the Southampton departures willinclude two round-Britain sailings in April andMay, which will be 12 nights and 11 nightsrespectively. The voyage will call in at Le Havre,Hamburg, Invergordon in Scotland, Kirkwall inthe Orkney Islands, Greenock, in Scotland,Dublin and Cork. A May 6 departure leads in at£899per person.

Additionally, there will be four seven-nightcontinental coastal cruises from September,featuring visits to Zeebrugge, Amsterdam,


Hamburg and Le Havre. How much? Prices for the 11-nightround-Britain cruise departing fromSouthampton on 6 May lead in at £899 perperson, while the seven-night continentalcoastal cruises start at £539 per person anddeparts on 28 September.To book: msccruises.co.uk

CRUISE AND MARITIME VOYAGESUK ports: CMV has eight UK departure ports.Magellan sails out of London Tilbury,Newcastle and Dundee, Marco Polo fromBristol, Hull, Newcastle, Leith, Greenock andLiverpool and Astoria from Bristol. The cruises: the big news from CMV is thelaunch of its first round-the-world cruise onboard its new flagship, Magellan.

The 1,250-passenger vessel will set sail from

London Tilbury on 5 January 2017circumnavigating the globe over four monthsvia the West Indies, Panama Canal, FrenchPolynesia, Australasia, South East Asia and theFar East, India, the Red Sea, Suez Canal, Egypt,Oman, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Malta, Gibraltarand Portugal before returning to LondonTilbury on 5 May 2017.How much? Early-booking twin saver faresrepresent savings of up to 40% and start at£8,999 per person with a reduced 25% singlesupplement on superior grades starting from£13,629. This offer is available on bookings madebefore 31 July.To book: cruiseandmaritime.com

DISNEY CRUISE LINEUK port: DoverThe cruises: Disney will be sailing its first

British Isles itinerary when Disney Magicembarks on a 12-night cruise from Dover on 5June 2016.

Ports of call include Invergordon, Kirkwalland Greenock (Glasgow) in Scotland;Newcastle and Liverpool; Dublin; Le Havre(Paris), France; and Guernsey.

Another first for Disney from the UK is aseven-night cruise to the majestic Norwegianfjords, the destination that inspired theblockbuster movie Frozen. Departing on May29, Disney Magic will visit Stavanger, Alesund,Geiranger and Bergen, Norway, giving familiesthe opportunity to experience the land thatinspired the story of Anna, Elsa and Olaf.

Disney Magic will also be sailing two new12-night Iceland and Norway sailings. Eachitinerary includes two days in Reykjavik and astop in Akureyri, Iceland; Bergen, Norway; and

Fred.Olsen will be basing itsflagship Balmoral (picturedbelow) in Newcastle next year



Kirkwall, Scotland. This voyage also spendsthree days in Iceland with the opportunity totake part in shore excursions that willexplore the country’s rich natural wonderssuch as volcanoes, lava fields, glaciers andthermal springs.

Departing from Dover, England andconcluding in Copenhagen, Denmark, theJune 17 cruise also visits Stavanger, Norwayand Newcastle. The July 13 cruise sails out ofCopenhagen, Denmark and concludes inDover with ports of call including Oslo andKristiansand in Norway and in Invergordon,Scotland. How much? The seven-night NorwegianFjord cruise on board Disney Magic leads inat £851 per person and departs on 29 May2016.To book: disneycruise.disney.go.com

CRYSTAL CRUISESUK port: London TilburyThe cruises: the ultra luxury cruiseline hasthree ex-UK sailings from London Tilburynext year.

These include the seven-night Tilbury toCopenhagen voyage on board CrystalSymphony that departs on 5 June and calls inat Antwerp, Amserdam, Arendal and

Goreburg with prices from £2,458 per person.The 14-night British Isles cruise round trip

from Tilbury sets sail on 23 July and visitsGuernsey, Waterford in Ireland, Holyhead inWales, Liverpool, Greenock in Scotland,Dublin, Belfast, Derry, Portland and Jerseybefore returning to Dover.

Meanwhile the 12-night London Tilbury toLisbon cruise on Crystal Serenity departs on6 August and sets sail for Honfleur, Guernsey,St Malo, Bordeaux, St-Jean-de-Luz, Bilbao, LaCoruna and Oporto.How much? Prices lead in at £2,458 perperson for the seven-night London Tilbury toCopenhagen, including flights.To book: crystalcruises.co.uk

HEBRIDEAN ISLAND CRUISESUK port: ObanThe cruises: for 2016, the small luxury cruiseline that is a big hit with the royal family hasintroduced two new cruises that willcomplement its existing programme of 16themed voyages and its perennially popularcruises around the Scottish coast.

The first new cruise on board the 50-passenger Hebridean Princess is theeight-day Northern Ireland Explorer inpartnership with the National Trust, which

sets sail from Oban on 17 May and visitsAntrim Bangor Warrenpoint Belfast andTayvallich before returning to Oban on 24May. Highlights of the cruise include visits toNational Trust properties and gardens, astop-off at Queens Island, the birthplace ofthe Titanic and a few hours at Giant’sCauseway.

Meanwhile, the second new voyage is theseven-night Manx Heritage cruise that aimsto capture the magic and mystery of the Isleof Man, Northern Ireland and Scotland, alllinked by their Celtic and Gaelic ancestry.

Hebridean Princess sets sail from Oban on21 June and visits Port Ellen for a stop-off atthe Laphroaig distillery.

It then sails across the North Channel toBangor for a visit to Grey Abbey House, theMontgomery family home since 1607 beforeheading to the Isle of Man for a two-dayexploration of the island.

The RSPB bird reserve of Rathlin Island isnext on the cruise before heading to LochSween and back to the home port of Oban.How much? 2016 cruises start at £1,210 perperson based on two people sharing aninside cabin on a four-night cruisecommencing 8 and 12 November.To book: hebridean.co.uk

EX UK


Famed for its Artic and Antarticacruises, Quark Expeditions has a 14-day adventure around the Orkneys,Shetlands and Norway's Fjords fornext year with two departure dates


VOYAGES OF DISCOVERYUK port: HarwichThe cruises: Voyager will set sail from Harwichon a 12-day British Isles cruise on 9 June 2016and head to the Shetland and Orkney Isles, theIsles of Lewis, Skye, Mull and Scilly beforeexploring Guernsey en route back to Harwich.How much? Prices lead in at £1,709 per personfor the 12-day voyage.To book: voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk

OCEANIA CRUISES The ports: Southampton and DoverThe cruises: the small luxury cruise line has20 ex-UK cruises in 2016, 19 sailing out ofSouthampton and one from Dover.

These include the 64-day EmeraldExploration round-trip cruise fromSouthampton which visits a multitude ofdestinations in Ireland, the Netherlands,Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Lithuania,Poland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Belgiumand Greenland.

Other ex-UK voyages for 2016 includethe 44-day Northern Sojourn round-cruisefrom Southampton, which exploresNorthern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia andsome of the Baltic States; 12-day BritishIsles Tapestry, the 24-day Celtic Charms; 52-day Viking Quest; 32-day Princely Passages;12-day Scandinavian Glory; the 19-dayFairytales and Folklore; the 10-day RegalRoutes; the 20-day Age of the Vikings; the

14-day Baltic Brilliance; the 30-day NobleCrusade; the 22-day Windmills andWaterways; the 11-day Royals and Vikings;the 19-day Artisans and Explorers; the 19-day Steeples and Spires; and the 11-dayNorthern Serenade.How much? Prices start at £1,799 per personfor the 10-day Regal Routes Southamptonto Copenhagen voyage through Scandinavia.The cruise line has just launched the OLifeAdvantage programme to encouragecustomers to book early.

The scheme highlights incentives forguests to book in advance and guests thatdo and go on to book a veranda stateroomor above will get a beverage package,unlimited internet and pre-paid tips.To book: oceaniacruises.com

SWAN HELLENICThe port: PortsmouthThe cruises: Swan Hellenic has seen anincrease in demand for sailings out ofPortsmouth and Harwich so the cruiselinehas increased the number of departures fornext year. Between April and August 2016,there are 10 departures for Minerva fromPortsmouth. These include the 14-day TroisRivieres de France voyage that departs onthe 15 April to explore Bordeaux andNantes.

Then the 14-day Glorious Gardens andChelsea Flower Show follows on 14 May

which is a cruise designed in partnership withthe Royal Horticultural Society and features arange of garden-themed excursions.

The 15-day Icelandic Cruise departs on 27May, with the 14-day Celtic Traditions andEdinburgh Tattoo voyage leavingPortsmouth on 3 August.How much? Prices lead in at £2,160 perperson for the 15-day Icelandic Cruise. To book: swanhellenic.com

QUARK EXPEDITIONSUK port: AberdeenThe cruises: the Orkneys, Shetlands andNorway's FjordsThe details: Quark Expeditions has a 14-dayadventure that takes cruisers on an excursionthrough the northern Atlantic, offering theopportunity to explore the medieval art,architecture and archaeology of Britain'snorthernmost archipelagos of the Orkneyand Shetland Islands, and discovercontemporary life and Viking history there,before continuing east to the picturesqueport of Bergen. The voyage then continuesnorthwards into the Norwegian Sea toexperience the UNESCO-protected VegaIsland, an ornithologist’s dream.How much? Departing on 29 May and 16 June2016, prices start at £5,600 for the 14-dayOrkneys, Shetlands and Norway's Fjordsexpedition with accommodation. To book: quarkexpeditions.com

EX UK


Caption Hebridean Island Cruises has introducedtwo new cruises for 2016, the Northern IrelandExplorer in partnership with the National Trust

and the Manx Heritage voyage


Speak to us today on0207 332 2660 or visit redseaholidays.co.uk/agent

LowDeposit Just £75pp

Subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Lead-in price shown is based on 2 adults sharing, and is available on at least one departure date from at least one UK airport. Correct at date of publication. Once sold out there is no guarantee that alternative holidays will be available at that price. Other conditions apply; see brochure for details. *Optional Abu Simbel excursion payable locally. ATOL protected 9749. ® Red Sea Holidays logo is a registered trade mark of Red Sea Holidays UK Ltd. © 2015.

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Travel Bulletin Cruise Supplement 2015

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Transcript of Travel Bulletin Cruise Supplement 2015